Calendar editor exits L.A. Times

LaGuire oversaw Envelope coverage

Chalk up Calendar editor Lennie LaGuire as one of those who is leaving the Los Angeles Times as part of a corporate cost-cutting move to eliminate 100-150 jobs at the paper.

LaGuire has served as the paper’s senior Calendar editor, overseeing the daily section, the Thursday tabloid weekend section and the Sunday Calendar. She oversaw the Envelope awards-season special section coverage this past year, and had been involved in recent months with the relaunch of the Sunday magazine West.

Most of the positions the Times is looking to cut are expected to come from the newspaper’s editorial operation. Those cuts were mandated by Tribune, the newspaper’s Chicago-based parent company.

LaGuire had been with the paper for 17 years. It’s not yet clear when she’ll be leaving. However, insiders say she’s in talks with the Hollywood Reporter to take the top editing spot vacated by Cynthia Littleton earlier this year. (She left to rejoin Daily Variety.) A representative of the Hollywood Reporter had no comment.

There’s a chance LaGuire could still have a freelance or consulting relationship with the Times. It’s also unclear if her role will be filled or to whom the various section editors will report after her departure.

L.A. Times spokeswoman Nancy Sullivan would not comment Tuesday on any of the people reportedly taking the buyouts, saying it was all “premature speculation.”

The downsizing comes as Chicago real estate maganate Sam Zell is readying to take over Tribune and take it private as part of an $8.2 billion deal.

LaGuire’s departure is part of the first phase of downsizing, dubbed the “Employee Voluntary Separation Program,” in which the Times asked for volunteers to submit themselves by May 14 for a buyout worth two weeks pay and benefits for every year the employee has worked for the Times. Staffers in some departments, including interactive, technology, circulation and security, were ineligible to apply.

Other staffers said to be taking the buyout include sports columnist J.A. Adande, environment editor Frank Clifford, Sacramento reporter/blogger Robert Salladay and West magazine writer Shawn Hubler.